Volleyball Thumb Injury

I think I possibly broke, fractured or severely sprained my thumb. I hurt my thumb two nights ago during a volleyball game while setting a ball, I played through the game and did not tell my coach. I have moderate to severe pain but can still move my thumb. It does not hurt when not moving but there is a lot of pain when bending. It hurts most when just bending the thumb at the middle joint and has less pain when bending at the joint connected to the hand. I have pain when writing and have pain with other little tasks. I would like to know if I ignore it until the volleyball season ends (1.5 months) will it affect my thumb in the future? I would like to do everything I can to keep playing but may quit if it is serious enough. I have iced as much as I can since the injury occurred and have tried wrapping as well. (When wrapping I noticed I did it too tight and my thumb became cold which is when I took off the wrap) Thank you.

It’s impossible to know for sure without examining you and seeing an x-ray, but it this sounds like it is most likely a fracture or sprain.

The symptoms of a thumb fracture include pain with movement, pain to the touch, swelling, bruising, and weakness. If it is indeed a fracture, then not treating it appropriately can put you at risk for future pain, arthritis, and decreased mobility of your thumb. As you know, your thumb is very important for your daily activities so it’s important to take care of it. If fractured, treatment depends on the type and severity of the fracture, but you may have to wear a splint for 4-6 weeks.

I understand your reluctance, but I do recommend you talk with your coach and make sure he or she knows what’s going on. The last thing you want is to reinjure your thumb while it is already vulnerable. Make sure you have the time to rest and heal. If your thumb is still hurting with movement, or if you have other signs or symptoms of a fracture as above, I recommend seeing your physician and getting an x-ray.

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